The Breastplate of Righteousness
What is a breastplate for?
Why is it associated with righteousness?
Whose righteousness are we wearing?
What other characteristics associate themselves with a breastplate?
HOW do we put on the breastplate of Righteousness?
Ephesians 6:14
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

Efesios 6:14
14 Estad, pues, firmes, ceñidos vuestros lomos con la verdad, y vestidos con la coraza de justicia
Paul’s war scenario
Remember that Paul has painted a picture of a Roman soldier at war. We are this Roman soldier fighting a war not against flesh and blood (Eph.6:12). Facing the hordes of Satan that are coming at you from every angle. We know that we have our belt of truth that secures our weapons, protects our lower body, and has us ready for battle.
As we engage in the everyday battle we must confront the enemy by striking them with our sword and deflecting blows with our shield.
But are enemy is great. We are constantly outnumbered... we can only fend off so many attacks…
Imagine that you are engaging an enemy that is more skilled than yourself in combat. He knows your ever move… as you exchange blows… He unleashes an attack that you cannot block with your shield or sword… you are helpless to move… you brace yourself..preparing for the worst…
And CLANG! The sound of your enemies’ sword echoing off your breastplate!
You look down to find that the breastplate of righteousness stopped the deadly blow in its tracks. Now… your back into the fight…

What purpose does a breastplate serve?
The breastplate was a central part of the Roman soldier's armor—it provided protection for the torso, which contains vital organs like the heart, lungs and so on.
Without a breastplate, a soldier would be asking for death, as any attack could instantly become fatal. With a sturdy breastplate, the very same attacks become ineffective and useless.
Why is righteousness associated with protective armor like a breastplate?
Proverbs 11:4
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
Without righteousness, we leave ourselves open to almost certain death. With righteousness—just as with a breastplate—the otherwise fatal attacks of our enemy are thwarted.
What is righteousness?
Psalm 119:172
My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.
1 John 3:4
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
1 Corinthians 15:34
Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
To be righteous is to do what is right in God's eyes. God's commandments are righteousness. In contrast, lawlessness is sin, and sin is the opposite of righteousness. So to be righteous is to obey God's laws of love.
What separates us from God, causing Him to withhold His protection?
Isaiah 59:1-2
Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.
Iniquities and sins are actions and thoughts that go against God's laws. Since they are in conflict with God's way of living and are harmful to ourselves and others, our perfect and just God will not associate with us if we go down the path of sin and evil. We cut ourselves off from God and His protection!
It is interesting to note that in this same chapter Isaiah mentions that God Himself puts on righteousness as a breastplate (Isaiah 59:17), which may be part of what inspired Paul to use this analogy.
Whose righteousness should we be wearing?
Isaiah 64:6
But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Righteousness may deliver from death, but whose righteousness are we talking about? The above scripture makes it clear that our individual level of righteousness is on par with "filthy rags"—and when you're looking to protect yourself from death, filthy rags make for a lousy breastplate.
Jeremiah 23:6
In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
True righteousness comes from God. It is God's righteousness, and not our own, which must serve as our breastplate and defense against Satan.
Psalm 5:8 8 Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies— make your way straight before me.

Psalm 23:3 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Psalm 71:16
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
What other characteristics does Paul compare with a breastplate?
1 Thessalonians 5:8
But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
Faith and love also protect our hearts. It's interesting to study how faith and love relate to righteousness. Faith works "through love"…
Galatians 5:6
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
… and Abraham's faith (which was shown by his doing what God said to do) was "accounted to him for righteousness"…
Romans 4:3
3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Genesis 26:5
5 because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions.”
… "'Faith,' as the motive within, and 'love,' exhibited in outward acts, constitute the perfection of righteousness”
How do I wear the breastplate of righteousness?
Ephesians 6:13
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
So now we know what the breastplate of righteousness is. Paul gives us the command to "take up the whole armor of God"—the obvious question is, "How?"
An in-depth concordance study of all the scriptures concerning righteousness (there are 301 in the New King James Version!) reveals that servants of God in the Bible who had righteousness all had it because they followed God's way. Though it may seem a sweeping statement, it is through a continuing and dedicated adherence to both the letter and spirit of God's law that we can defend ourselves with His righteousness.
Once we have put on the breastplate of righteousness, we must be sure not to remove it.
Ezekiel 33:13
13 If I tell a righteous person that they will surely live, but then they trust in their righteousness and do evil, none of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered; they will die for the evil they have done.
… shows that wearing righteousness is not a one-time event; rather, it requires a lifetime of action.
One day, the war we're fighting will be over. And when it is, we are promised,
Isaiah 32:17
17 The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
By faithfully living God's way and staying clear of Satan's, we will find this peace, quietness and assurance—forever.